Donna Meets The Herd
by RaphaelsLittleSister
Summary: Donna the Weasel has been living alone in the Ice Age world. When she meets Manny and the gang she follows them south. Will she ever be a permenant addition to the herd? DISCONTINUED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. SORRY!
1. Chapter 1

Her weasel body was lithe and strong and she carried a strong, straight wooden pole with her everywhere. On her underside she was a gorgeous yellow color, while on her chin, under her nose and around her mouth she was white. Her topside was a sort of brown-gray. The thing that really seemed to get everyone she met though, were her eyes. Her right eye was red and her left eye was shocking violet. And she never cried, not a tear would she shed. Some said she was just tough and others said she couldn't cry. Her name was Donna.

The snowscape was calm and Donna's baton was in her paw. The glare of the sun on the snow made it difficult to see but she surveyed it easily. Suddenly a shadow swooped over the scraggly, leafless bush she stood next to. Donna looked up and her eyes widened for a split second before they adopted a look of fear. The hawk dove and she watched the gleaming talons come closer, closer… she leapt out of the way at the last second. The hard wooden pole cracked over the hawks head just before it could catch her.

Donna smirked and her eyes winked with merriment as she sent the unlucky predator on its way. The sound of a cracking twig behind her made her spin around. She sighed, _it just ain't your day today, girl. _She stayed tense, whatever this thing was, it was about to discover that she was nothing to mess with. Besides, it was probably some stupid squirrel playing a trick on her. Then she heard the growl. A massive cat leapt out at her, claws reaching out for her. She screamed at the saber, whether in fear or defiance it was hard to tell as she swiped at it with her staff.

_Thump! _She skidded back, one fore-paw in the ground the other holding her staff out to the side. The saber stumbled a bit under the force of her blow. Just then two mammoths, , a male and a female, two male possums and a very smelly sloth appeared in back of the saber. "Diego, stop it! Look at her, poor thing. You must have scared the living daylights out of her." That, guessed Donna, was the female. The saber, Diego, as the mammoth had called him grunted. "Aw, come on, Ellie. We haven't found a decent meal for me in days. The weasel is the biggest thing all week."

Donna spoke up. "Umm, 'scuse me, saber, but 'the weasel' can fight back. I think you'll have a bump on your noggin to prove that one." The male mammoth snorted at that and was immediately chastised by the female or 'Ellie'. "Manny, that's not very nice. You know Diego never saw it coming." Diego looked at his paws and thought, _man, am I losin' my edge. Beaten by a weasel. _The sloth seemed to know Diego's thoughts and slouched over to pat him on the head.

"Sooo…where're you headed, mammoths?" Donna addressed the male. He looked at Ellie and said, "South, to start a community. The others went around too avoid the saber territory but we think our herd can take any trouble we run into."

"Herd? So, like you guys are all together as a family?" Donna looked confused. Thankfully, Ellie answer. "Yup, we're all family. My brothers and I joined while trying to escape the flood and these three," she pointed her trunk at Manny, Diego and the sloth, "Were the original herd. And, I say we've been very rude, please let us introduce ourselves."

Donna soon learned that the sloth was a klutz by the name of Sid, the mammoths were Manny and Ellie, the possums were Ellie's 'brothers', dubbed Crash and Eddie and that the saber was Diego. "Thanks, it's nice to meet you all. I'm Donna. " The sloth and the possums shook her paw vigorously. "Ssso, where's your herd, hhmm?" Sid looked at her curiously. Donna looked down. "My family is dead." Her words were flat, dead sounding but her eyes didn't glisten at all as she spoke. When Donna looked up she said "but it was ages ago, it doesn't matter anymore. It does get lonely though."

"Well, come with us." Ellie's green eyes glittered welcomingly. "you seem nice enough and you and Diego should get along great, you're both are hunters."

"And," muttered Diego in undertone, "Sid will annoy you to no end." When Donna Looked uncertain Ellie encouraged her further, "Come on sweetheart, you'd be safer with us that out here anyway, and less lonely. Besides, that hawk nearly made lunch-meat out of you."

"I guess I could come. If you don't mind, besides, something tells me that possums aren't fond of hawks. I could...uh I could keep 'em away if any try to make a snack out of them." She grinned sheepishly. "Sold, to the crazy herd for the price of no hawks." Crash and Eddie sounded just like auctioneers. Manny started forward, "Come on, I'd like to reach the edge of the saber turf by noon. Then we can rest, we don't want to be caught there by night."

Donna waited for the herd to pass her up a bit so she could walk with the possums, Si d wasn't the kind of company she enjoyed, Diego made her a bit nervous, and the mammoths looked like they were already in a conversation. Besides, Crash and Eddie seemed like fun guys. "So, is Manny always like this?"

"Always, he's--"

"No fun" said the possums together. "But enough about _Manfred_, let's hear about _you. _If you can take out Diego, what can't you do? I heard that Big D was one of the best hunters when he was in a pack." Donna shrugged. "I don't really know what I can and can't do, I just take it as it comes."

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**I AM SORRY FOR ANY TYPOS AND HOPE YOU ALL LIKE THE STORY!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hi, I would just like to say that so far the story is going well. If you have read it and like it please let me know. It will encourage me to keep going. Even if you don't like it, let me know and I will try to improve. Thanks ;)**_

The sun was high in the sky when the stopped. Manny wanted to keep going just a bit further to the very edges of saber territory but Diego told him no. "Manny, out here is unclaimed turf. If these sabers are anything like where I'm from they'll expand a bit, patrolling beyond their borders, especially if the area is unclaimed." The bull mammoth had reluctantly agreed. Together they had agreed on a spot for the camp. The possum brothers made a beeline for her.

"Hey Donna, wanna look fer food with us?"

"Yeah, we can find the best berries I'll bet!"

Donna laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Sorry, boys. 'm in the mood for a good hunt. Another time, kay? I don't think Diego's able to bring in enough food to feed _me_!" They cracked up as Diego walked past muttering, "I heard that." Donna hurried after him as she called to the twins, "Bring back some berries and I'll eat them at least."

Diego moved fast, not at all concerned about the weasel that was jogging to keep up with him. The silence between them pounded in Donnas' ears. "Soo… you wanna hunt together, I could help and we could share the kill." Diego felt a warm rush towards the weasel. She sounded just like the member of a pack might as they set of together to stop the rumbling in their bellies. In a pack you shared the kill with the one that helped bring the game down.

Donna half expected him to turn down her offer saying, _Yeah, right. What could a little weasel like you do to bring down a saber-sized game?_ Maybe, however, he realized she could help or maybe he missed the sense of unity that came from working together to get food. Diego grinned at her and said, "Sure, I could use a helper. Now, let's go track down some meat."

Manny lumbered over to Ellie. "Is it a good idea to bring the weasel with us? She's an extra mouth for Diego to feed and everyone knows you _can't trust a weasel found on its own_." Ellie looked at him in a way that said; _this weasel is different. If she ever was a killer like the stories say she's not any more. You didn't trust Diego and look at you guys now. _He sighed and nudged her gently. "You know predators make me nervous." Ellie wrapped her truck up in his. "I know they do but don't think about it. Look, this place is nice, why don't we take a _walk. _Sid is with Crash and Eddie and Donna and Diego went hunting_._" Manny smiled, the wounds of the past were finally starting to heal.

There, an unsuspecting antelope was grazing peacefully, obviously unaware of the saber at its back and the weasel to its left. Donna held a lush tuft of grass in her paw and waved it alluringly. The antelope wandered over to the tuft, ready to munch down on it. Just as its mouth closed around the plant, Donna released the grass and leapt for the animal's throat. Diego jumped out from behind a rock and landed on the antelopes back. It danced about and tossed its head as it tried to rid itself of the weasel and the tiger.

Donna bit into the soft flesh of the throat until she tasted blood. Then, still biting down, she shook her head from side to side, Diego distracting her prey enough to keep it from throwing her. She clawed at the animal's eyes and, blinded, it tripped. Diego leaned over to deal the killing bite. Blood pumping, adrenaline rushing through them, they stared at the beast they had brought down with relative ease.

"Where I come from," stated Diego, "We drink the blood of the fallen while the kill is fresh. It symbolizes the strength flowing into you. It also creates a bond between hunters, knowing the animals' blood runs through both of their veins. Will you share with me, sister?" his hazel-green eyes were genuine but Donna was unsure and he prompted further.

"You fought like a saber just now; few weasels could take down a buck like that, even with my help." Donna glowed with the praise as she bent near the animal's bloodied throat. Diego bent near her and began to lap up the blood. Donna flicked her tongue on the edge of the wound and lost control over herself. Never had the blood of another tasted so good. Diego was right, she could feel strength flowing into her like water, perhaps though, it was just the feeling that teamwork left behind.

"Ack, oh uh, guysh, wait up! I'm shtuck." Sid was indeed stuck, his foot had sunk into the ground and he couldn't get it out. "Ahh! Quickshand, I'm shinking, help!" Crash and Eddie hurried over. "Dude, don't you look where you step. It's just mud"

"Grab our tails." The possum boys pulled with all their might but Sid would not budge. Then, without warning, six, hungry-looking saber-toothed tigers surrounded them. One of them, presumably the leader barked, "Back away from the sloth!" Crash and Eddie didn't need to be told twice. Winking once at Sid, they scrambled up a tree the sabers would have difficulty climbing; its branches so dense the two possum had to squeeze to get up.

"Diego, Donna, where are you guys, we need help!"

"Com'on guys, please hurry, something big is trying to eat us and Sid."

The big cats circled Sid. One of them, a small female broke off to sniff him, but backed away immediately. "Ick, this one smells like he hasn't taken a bath since the day he was born, and," she took another whiff, "like he rolls in _poop_ every day." Her silky voice was laced with disgust.

"Which is why," said a casual voice in the undergrowth, "you would really eat him, would you?" Donna strolled out into the open with Diego at her side. The other sabers looked genuinely taken aback. The leader stepped forward and spoke to Diego. "What are you doing here, brother, in the company of a _weasel?_"

"And what are _you_ doing, brother, threatening to eat something like _that_." Diego gestured to Sid. "I thought sabers out here had _some _standards, however low." The pack leader growled, "I asked _you_ first." He took a step forward and Diego sighed. "Fine, have it your way. The weasel is my hunting partner."

"Ha, weasels and sabers don't hunt _together_. Everyone knows that weasels are weak!" The leader was actually making guttural sounds that could have been laughter. Diego ignored that. "Not _this _weasel," he growled. "Hmnph, well if this weasel is so powerful I say we take her _and _the green thing with us. We will drink of her blood and grow strong."

Donna stepped out, staff ready, eyes blazing. At the sight of her eyes the sabers did indeed take a step back. "So this," she waved a paw at the mud Sid was stuck in, "Is how you catch food? You can't even hunt in the open like real predators. Instead you lure prey into these to get stuck and you finish them and they can't even fight back. That's just cowardly. I tell you what, if you fight _all of us_ and lose, we keep the green thing. If we lose, you get _Sid and me_."

The possums scurried from the tree to stand by her and Diego and Sid was pulled out of the mud by the sabers. The head of the pack raised an eyebrow but nodded and took a fighting stance."Fine, it's a deal." Donna feinted to his left and he lunged, saying "behold her eyes, we must have her!" Donna leapt over him and thwacked him hard on his rump, momentarily paralyzing him. "Diego, take the leader!"With that she leapt into the fray, striking out at anything and everything.

They fought hard and well but the sheer mass of the enemy was turning the tables. _We're losing; the only way to end it is to stop the leader._ Somewhere along the way Donna and the others boarded Diego's train of thought. She jumped on the leader's head and brought her staff down on it. Diego clawed at his side and the possums pulled his toes apart in painful directions. Sid pulled hard on his tail. Finally, he gasped out, "Keep the green thing and your weasel. I don't want the foul creature's blood running inside _me. _Retreat, we keep our word as a pack."

The silky-voiced female objected. "But Hawthorn…her eyes---"

"I said retreat, Novi!" Hawthorn's eyes regained some spark as he growled. "Back to the den, let's go! Move!" Diego and the others stared at their retreating backs. Finally he turned to the possums and Sid. "Grab what you gathered and go back to camp. Then wash any injuries. Donna, we'd better go and check if our antelope is where we left it."

"It had better be." was all she said.

Ellie stared at the sky. "Manny, it getting dark and everyone's been gone awhile. Do you think their alright?"

"If I know Sid he'll have gotten into some trouble gotten back out, and will be back _any_ second. Diego most likely is brooding over a missed piece of prey and I don't really know the---the weasel." He was confident sounding but he said the word 'weasel' with distaste. Ellie looked at him. "Manny, let's get something straight. Her name is Donna and I expect you to use it. She's part of the herd for as long as she's traveling with us so you had better treat her that way."

They both looked up at the rustling bushes. Sid and the possums emerged, covered in blood. Whether it was their own or not, Ellie couldn't tell. "Oh my gosh, what happened?"Crash and Eddie bounded over to her and sat on her tusks. "Sabers, Ellie. Sid got stuck in a mud hole and they came out of nowhere!"

"Yeah, then we all got into a fight. All of us helped bring down the leader and they left." Eddie's eye's still looked fearful. "Telling the story of out bravery, were you?" Donna sauntered over and leaned on one of Elli's tusks. Diego padded beside her. "This here weasel is a great hunter; we brought down a huge antelope. I wouldn't have been able to do it without her. And a good fighter too, knocked two of the said sabers out cold."

Manny turned on her. "How do we know you're not planning anything funny? Diego says you brought down two sabers on your own and there's only one of him." Donna rolled her eyes. "Please, _Manfred_, if I had been planning to do anything to any of you I _could have and would have_ done it by now. Besides, I don't even really _know_ you guys, why would I _want_ to hurt you?" Manny had no answer, so he changed the subject. "Sid, will you make the fire, it's getting cold."

They had told Donna about returning Pinky (the little human in the first movie) to his herd and about escaping the flood. The she-weasel had held onto every word with wide eyes. When they finished the play by play accounts, Sid glanced at Donna. "Now it'sh your turn to tell ush a shtory."

"Aw, no. There's nothing to tell."

"Shure there is; you have a life too. And we just told you two stories. You have to tell a leasht one." Sid looked at her pleadingly. Diego looked at her as well and soon all the eyes in the herd were on Donna. She sighed. "Alright…let's see here. Ahh, here's a winner."

_Snow covered the ground and the fur of the weasel that dared brave the storm. Abruptly the earth under her paws gave way to ice and she found herself sliding along. Within moments she had mastered skating across the ice. She was delighted, now she could get home even faster._

_Suddenly the ice seemed to shake and a roar that seemed to come from far below her rattled her bones. She raced even faster across the ice. Unexpectedly, it gave way beneath her back legs and she clung desperately to the sharp edges around the hole, the bottom half of her body dangling into the bowels of the world. The ice she held on to cracked and she felt it sag a bit under her weight. Desperately she pulled upwards. She hauled herself up and scampered onto thicker ice. _

_She was so cold she didn't even realize she had cut herself on the ice until she saw blood staining the white surface. She looked around franticly for something to stop the bleeding. The she-weasel packed snow into the belly wound. That done she crept back to the edge of the ice and peered down._

_Mist. Thick, heavy clouds, just a few hundred feet down. The sound of splintering ice told her to get off. Then, as fast as her wound would allow her she skated across the cold surface. More than happy to get off the ice, she leapt onto the solid ground, panting with exertion. From there it was but a twenty minute walk to the den. But when she got there…_

_Blood spattered the cold stone walls and the place was in disrepair. She walked in a bit further and then she saw them. Her family, her big brother and little sister, her mother and father and half blind grandmother. All lying in puddles of thick weasel blood, dead. The weasel knelt beside them, stoking their fur. _

_An evil chuckle behind her made her turn to face five giant wolves. She cowered for a moment before glimpsing her brother's staff. She grabbed for it and tensed. "What do you want?"_

"_To see all weasels DEAD!" the wolves leapt at her throat and she ran; ran to the hole in the ice. With a stunning leap she cleared it and sent the pack over the edge. She watched as the last wolf disappeared into the swirling clouds. Her red and purple eyes were cold and she held the baton tight, knowing she would never let it go, it was hers now._

_She glanced down at the armband that she wore just above her elbow. She had no family now. With shaking paws she gently removed it. She traveled back to the den and laid it by her brother. "I took something of yours, now you take something of mine." With that she turned and headed out, back into the storm. She would not bury the dead; the storm would do it for her. She looked at the sky and felt the agony, the grief, struggling to get out but the tears would not come. And yet she knew that for the first time, now probably forever, Donna the weasel was alone. _

_And the storm swallowed her like a hungry beast._

"I still have the scar from cutting myself on the ice." Donna parted her belly fur and they all saw the jagged line marking her skin. "Of course, that was not nearly as painful as losing my family, but like I said, it was a long time ago, it doesn't matter anymore. Besides, now I can live my life with nothing to tie me down. I don't need a family anymore; I've learned to survive on my own. And I have never shed a tear over their deaths."

"You just left? Didn't you have anywhere to go, the den of a mate or---"

"I didn't have a mate, Ellie, and I hope I never do. Love hurts too much. You think it's there forever and then it's ripped away, just like that, and it hurts so damn much you think it'll kill you. The only thing love has ever given me is heartache." Her eyes were cast down and she almost regretted telling the story of that painful night. Almost, but not quite. It felt good to get it out after all that time, besides, she felt like these were animals who, if she ever had a family again, she would want it to be like them.

The stars were bright and they sky was clear. The fire had gone out a long time ago and most of the herd was asleep. Diego looked up at the sky, thinking about what he had heard. _Donna is strong, stronger than most and after what I heard tonight, I think I know why. Living alone probably isn't easy, especially if you're a weasel. Have__** I **__ever gone through something like that? _ No, he hadn't. The more he thought about it the more he realized just how hardy Donna must be to have never cried once over the death of her whole family.

He glanced over to her sleeping form. The herd, meaning himself, the mammoths, possums and Sid, slept in a relatively close bunch. The she-weasel, on the other hand was a ways off, snuggled under a leaf. He noticed that she held the baton tightly to her, clutched it like it was made of gold. He noticed that she was shivering slightly. The leaf probably didn't provide much warmth and it could only get colder.

He silently made his way over to her then stopped. Was she awake? Her eyes were just slits buts slits, as far as he was concerned, were open eyes. Reaching out a paw he prodded her gently. She stirred and muttered something that sounded a bit like '_Hailer'. _He poked her again and this time she woke. "Hmmn?" Her eyes were large and held the moon in them. Diego looked slightly uncomfortable but said anyway, "Er…well, I thought you looked cold and thought that, uh, you'd like to sleep with the herd?"

Donna looked a bit taken aback but accepted faster than she had with any other offer. "Sure, thanks. It is a bit chilly." She walked over and curled up. In a moment she and Diego, his paw gently slung over her, were fast asleep.

_**I would like to let any readers know, just to avoid confusion, that there will be NO Diego/Donna.**_

_**Reason #1. She's a weasel and he's a saber-toothed tiger.**_

_**Reason #2. I would like their feelings towards each other to be completely 'brotherly/sisterly'**_

_**Reason #3. I have Donna's future planed out. If you guess, please DO NOT ask me to change my mind.**_

_**Thanks 4 Reading! **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hi, it's me. Sorry I took so long to get this chapter rolling but I had a bit of trouble figuring out where this was going. If after you read this you have ideas about what to do next, please tell me. Again, if you like this story, please let me know, it encourages me to keep going. If you don't like it well, **_

_**#1. Why are you even reading it?**_

_**#2. Please let me know so I can take suggestions into account to make this story even better.**_

_**Also I am having a bit of trouble with my line separators that show when I am changing to a different narrative space. I will try to figure that out but until I do just read slow and try to see where the changes are and I will try to fix this as soon as possible. Until I do I will just embolden every other different space.**_

_**Thank you **_

Donna woke feeling strangely warm. She squirmed a bit and a low growl met her ears. She instinctively tensed but caught a glimpse of Diego's paw slung over her. _He must be dreaming. _She thought. She had been warm all night but as she slid out from under the tiger's forepaw, Donna realized just how cold it was. It was morning but the sun had not yet risen to warm the earth. Her fur fluffed out as she wove between the sleeping herd members.

Manny and Elli had curled their trunks together and were quite near each other. Sid was fast asleep on a rock, lying on his back, arms splayed with his mouth hanging unattractively open as he snored. The possum brothers were curled up in a mossy quick-made nest and Diego was lying on his side. As far as she could tell, she was the only one awake.

**The sky turned pink and the sun showed its face in a dazzling show of pinks, reds, oranges and yellows. Donna sat, draping her body over several boughs of the tree she was in. She watched the fiery ball as it broke of some distant mountains. All too soon the show was over and the she-weasel climbed down to wake the others. Grabbing a long stick, she had not forgotten the growl earlier, she poked Diego's shoulder. **

**He stirred but didn't wake. She prodded him again a bit harder. The saber opened his bleary eyes to see the weasel standing a good three feet away from him, holding the stick ready to poke. "M'rnin', wat times'it." He mumbled. "Time for you to get up. Com'on lazy head." The predator struggled to his feet and arched his back saying, "I'm hungry."**

"**We left the antelope over there." Donna pointed to a small bush. "You can have it; I'll catch a mouse or something." Diego shot her a grateful look a padded off to eat where the herbivores could not see him. Then, Donna proceeded to poke the others until they were all on their feet. She looked at Manny sternly. "If you want to get through saber country by today I suggest you don't sleep away your light. I don't think I'm the only one that doesn't like the idea of being caught out there by dark."**

**Manny shifted uncomfortably as Donna moved away to speak to the twins and Sid. He leaned over to Ellie. "Why is she here again?"**

"**She's here because I asked her to come with us. Besides, she's friendly and she has a point. Do **_**you**_** want to be in saber territory at night? " Manny grumbled, "Alright, fine. But what's she talking about, sleeping away the light? The sun's barely risen." At this point his voice rose to where Donna heard him. She came over and directed a finger at him. "Listen, mammoth, I was up when it was still **_**dark **_**out. I climbed to the top of a tree to **_**watch **_**the sun rise. If I were in charge here we would have been up and out **_**an hour ago**_**! Now go and get some food so we can get moving, please. I'll die of old age before you're ready to go."**

"Their little group prepares to depart and travel through our territory. Hawthorn, what are your orders?" The saber had brown fur and a broken tooth. Two blue eyes pierced the pack leader as he awaited his directions. Hawthorn was silent for a full two minutes before answering. We wait until they come near enough, then we surround them full force. If they don't _give_ us the weasel…"

He clenched his paw suggestively. The one-toothed saber nodded and Hawthorn continued. "We know our place; this weasel ought to learn hers. Carry word of the plan out to the pack. Oh, and just so you know; you are in charge of making sure _every cat_ knows the plan. If we fail because of one beast not understanding, I will hold you, Shihab, _fully_ responsible." The brown tiger moved away and bowed his head.

Hawthorn looked out to the north, were the strange herd had made camp. _If all goes well we shall soon have the evil in our claws. Sibyl, mother dear, soon the prophecy will come to pass and you may rest at last. No doubt… that weasel is the one; how many creatures are born with eyes like that? She matches the description exactly. And we _will_ have her!_

"**Did you get enough to eat?" Donna strolled over to Diego and leaned against his side. "Yep, I finished what I could of the antelope. The scavengers can have the rest. What about you, did you catch anything?"**

"**Yeah, a nice fat vole. I got lucky; it's so cold I'm surprised he was even out. But any ways, are the others ready to go?" she seemed anxious to get moving. Just then Manny called out to them. "Hey, you wanted to get going, let's get going." Diego rolled his eyes and he and Donna smirked. They jogged to catch up with the others.**

**They had been walking for about fifteen minutes when Diego told Manny to stop. Without another word he padded off into some trees. When he came back he was carrying three long stinks in his jaws. He handed one to each of the possum boys and to Donna. "Walk ahead of us to test the ground. The last thing we need is another mishap with the sticky mud." The boys took the stick and Sid looked at them. "Hey, why don't I get one?"**

**Donna handed him hers. "Here Sid, take mine, I can use my staff."**

"**Thanksh." He walked away poking the ground, Sid knew only too well what it was like to get stuck. Diego looked at Manny. "Now we can move." The party lumbered on and made tracks thro ugh the saber's territory. After an hour or so the wind began to kick up and Donna caught a whiff of something. It was slightly musky and the scent of desire, mingled with a hint of fear floated on the air. Donna opened her mouth to say something but at that moment the leader of the saber pack stepped out onto the ground in front of them.**

**Hawthorn's eyes flashed malevolently as he blocked the path of the ground-testing animals. Diego stepped in front of Donna, his hackles rising and his teeth bared, despite the fact that Hawthorn was considerably larger than him. "What'd you want?" Hawthorn laughed. "Get out of my way; you're in front of the weasel." He made as though he was ready to knock the smaller tiger out of the way but Diego held firm. "You can't have her."**

**Hawthorn guffawed. "Right and you're going to stop us from taking her?"**

"**Us?" Diego sounded faintly puzzled. Just then about fifteen sabers leapt out from behind icy boulders to surround the herd. Donna looked around warily and gripped her hardwood tightly. She stepped out from behind her protecting saber and pushed him back behind **_**her**_**. "Try to take me then." Hawthorn grinned. "Oh, we won't try, we **_**will**_**. Take her!" **

**Everything was a blur as they fought; the only thing any of them were aware of was the fighting. After five minutes of wild battle, Donna stumbled. And in that moment, when she was defenseless, Hawthorn launched himself at the she-weasel. At that moment, 970 pounds of muscle hit the weasel around the midsection as his jaws closed around her. Hawthorn made a beeline for a clear path, a path out of the fray. **

**As soon as he was clear the rest of the pack followed him. The saber battling it out with Diego dealt him a dazing blow to the head before he headed out. Diego shook his head and stumbled around a bit. Manny shook off a tiger and crushed it under one of his massive feet before it could go anywhere. By the time they had all recovered enough to do a head count, the sabers had disappeared…with Donna. **

"**Donna! No!" Diego made to leap after the retreating tigers but Elli's trunk held him back. "Let me go, we've got to help her." Manny lumbered over to him. "I have some bad scratches off those cats, I'm not gonna risk any of us for a weasel we barely know."**

"**We have too! She's important…I can feel it! There's something about her that they want! We can't let them have it!" Diego looked pleadingly at many. Elli turned to look at him as well. "You know he's right. They want something from her and whatever it is they want it bad. They might torture her or something would we wish that on any animal?" Manny sighed and Elli nodded her head in the direction that the pack had disappeared. "Let's go, come'n" Many groaned, he had a feeling that Elli was going to act like this whenever something like this happened.**

_Ha, we have her. That was too easy; I guess even mammoths can't handle the fear. _A nagging thought tugged at the back of his mind. _We____did lose some though__**…**__ But we have her! The prophetic weasel, soon, so soon we shall have her blood in our hearts._ _Midnight will come soon enough and in the meantime I will have Novi and her apprentice prepare her for the rite. Soon mother, I hope through my eyes you will watch the fulfillment of the prophecy._

Hawthorn padded out of his den to the tree they had tied the weasel to. He stroked the side of Donna's face with a claw. "Hello, _weasel_. I'd tell you what's in store for you but I want to see the look on your face when the time comes. You'll make it an exciting night, you know." The sound of an approaching tiger made him look up. Silvery Novi walked towards him, her small, rust-colored apprentice slightly behind and to the right of her padding alongside her nervously.

"Ah, Novi, I was just about to look for you. I need you and your trainee to prepare the weasel for the ceremony tonight. I won't disclose any information here in front of it but I trust you to know what to do. Also, make sure that you allow the trainee to do some things, not just sit and watch. This is an experience that may not repeat itself in her lifetime and if it does she must be able to carry out the task."

Novi bowed he head and sank low. "Of course, Hawthorn, the weasel will be ready by midnight." She glanced over her shoulder at the smaller tiger. "Clara, come here and thank your leader. He is allowing you to participate in a rarely preformed ritual. This is a great honor." The little female stepped forward and sank even lower than her mentor. "Thank you, illustrious Hawthorn, for giving me this opportunity to be part of this rare and ancient rite."

Hawthorn looked taken aback at this impressive speech but covered it by saying, "Good, now go and take the weasel. Perhaps you have the makings to rise in our ranks after all. Go now and may spirits protect you against the evil of the weasel."

"**We've been here too long, can we get moving already? **_**Please**_**." They had stopped to bind Eddie's paw as it had begun paining him after they had begun to move. The sun was starting to set and there was no sign of the saber pack's camp. Diego anxiously watched the sun clear a path through the sky. "Manny, we have to hurry; the leader seems like a highly spiritual saber, which means we only have until midnight to find her!" The bull mammoth heaved a sigh but called over to Sid. "Are you almost done? Diego's about to have a cow here if we don't hurry up." Just then Eddie bounced up onto Elli's tusk."Let's go save our weasel."**

The rusty she-tiger pushed Donna roughly along a faint path. "Get going, _weasel_. Let's get you to the pond." Novi walked ahead, leading the way. Donna saw a small body of water about twenty feet ahead. The silver tiger in front of her stopped and turned to look at her trainee. "Clara, bath the weasel, I must go to my den to gather the purification materials. I should be back by the time the mundane filth has been washed from her body." With those words the Smilodon padded away, leaving Donna and the smaller saber.

_Even without my staff I could probably take her out. She's so tiny, and so helpless looking, though, I don't think I could hurt her. Oh well, maybe another opportunity will show itself. I really can't expect a rescue from people I barely know, after all. I'll figure it out…hopefully before these sabers decide to go vamp over my body. _Donna looked at Clara and said casually, "So…any idea what your leader has in store for me?" The tiger merely nudged her into the icy water. A shiver ran up her body but she suppressed it.

She began to wash. "No idea then?" Still, Clara didn't reply. Instead she stared at Donna with a look of wonderment on her face. "You don't _seem_ evil, just scared. Is this some sort of trick?" the she-weasel scoffed, "No, I just want to know my fate. Is that such a bad thing? And anyway, why would I be evil?"

Clara ducked her head nervously and said sheepishly, "All the stories say that weasels are weak of body but strong in the ways of the spirit world and use their powers for the greatest of evil. They also say," Clara began to scrub Donna fiercely behind the ears, "that there is one weasel with power greater than all the rest, and if you drink of its blood you will receive the power and not the evil."

She looked Donna in the eye. "They say that it is a weasel with eyes of different colors… a weasel with a purple eye and a red eye." Donna almost choked on the water she was rinsing her mouth out with. Instead she sprayed it all over Clara and exclaimed, "What, I don't even know what the heck this spirit world thing is! And I'm not evil and I am most defiantly don't command spirits or anything!" Clara hurriedly pressed a paw against the she-weasel's mouth. "Shhh! Do you have any idea how much trouble I would be in if they knew I had told you? Shut up!" When she was sure Donna would stay quiet she glanced all around and drew close to the weasel.

"Listen, I'm telling you this because_ I_ don't really believe it either. I only train under Novi's wing because I'm not a very good fighter or hunter, so this is the only thing _left _for me. If I really believed this all I would have kept my mouth shut this whole time…but I don't and you don't _seem_ evil. When we carry you to the Sacrificial Plate I'll try to find a way to weaken one of you grass ropes. There will be a moment when no one will be looking at you, not even Novi or I."

"That's you chance to get out of here and get far away. Remember though; keep your flap shut about this because I'm the only one that would ever give you an offer like this. You seem good and pure and I don't believe in the sacrifice of the innocent and unknowing. Even if you can't get away, at least now you know why Hawthorn is doing this."

Donna took Clara's paw in both of hers. "Clara, my friend, you don't seem bad either. Under better circumstances I would stay to get to know you. I hear Novi coming back so I'll shut up now but here's my advice to you…you're too kind to stay with these cold-hearted demons, they're the evil ones. Leave them Clara; find a better pack where you don't have to do things you don't believe in."

Donna shut her mouth just a few seconds before Novi emerged from the from behind a hill. Clara forcefully heaved Donna from the water and tossed her to the ground in front of Novi. "She has bathed, Novi." The rust-colored female dipped her head respectfully. "Good, now let us purify her, hold it for me and watch closely."

**Hawthorn paced his fur sleek and shining. Stars had appeared and still an hour until midnight. He growled impatiently but did not speak; until the ritual began he could not speak. **

"Do I see fire?" Elli pointed with her trunk to a faint glow just over some rocks. As quietly as the herd could they crept over to the light. Their jaws dropped and whatever hopes of rescuing Donna the herd had clung to were smashed in that instant. At least thirty sabers were sprawled over rocks and boulders around the bonfire. Twenty sabers working together could destroy the two mammoths and one tiger, a sloth and two terrified possums could not hope to defeat ten. Even if they had had Donna with them it would have been nearly impossible.

**Novi had tied Donna tightly and was busy grooming herself. Clara stood guard over the weasel, one of her claws clicking impatiently. If one wasn't looking to see it they wouldn't have been able to tell that that one claw was slowing sawing at one of the grass ropes that held the weasel. Once effectively weaken and broken the other ropes would be subject to breaking as well…or subject to the claws of a weasel. **

"**Novi," Clara sounded nervous, "It is nearly midnight; should I carry the weasel down and wait for you there?"**

"**What? Oh, yes, by all means take the weasel. I'll be there momentarily, tell Hawthorn. " Clara nodded and picked Donna up in her jaws. When they were a safe distance away Clara set he down to speak. "I'd let you go here but they'd know it was me that did it. One day I'll take your advice and run but I won't get the chance if they think I set you free. Besides, something tells me you won't want to leave without your staff. It's hidden under the lip of the Sacrificial Plate; you won't be able to get it until we're all looking away." Donna nodded her head best she could and moved her eyes in the direction of the Plate as though to say: **_**It's all right, I understand. I don't want you to get in trouble. Now let's move so we can get this thing started.**_

**Clara grinned and said softly, "I'm glad you understand, my friend." She picked Donna back up in her jaws, a bit more gently than she had when Novi had been around and began to walk. Donna shut her eyes and tried not to think about what awaited her at the Sacrificial Plate, for as confidant as she looked, she was scared. **

_**Hi and thank you for reading. The saber named Clara is a character of my own and I am quite pleased with the way she turned out. In fact, I already love her too much too never meet up with her after this whole drama is over! So, if you liked Clara as much as I do there is a good chance we will see her again, I just don't know when.**_

_**Once again, please let me know about ways I can improve.**_

_**Thankies. **___


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, this chapter is a bit short but it was hard to keep it going. Storyline suggestions are welcome since I have not yet made an outline.**

**Thank you**

_**Recap:**__ Clara grinned and said softly, "I'm glad you understand, my friend." She picked Donna back up in her jaws, a bit more gently than she had when Novi had been around and began to walk. Donna shut her eyes and tried not to think about what awaited her at the Sacrificial Plate, for as confidant as she looked, she was scared._

Diego felt like crying, this would never work. Their original plan had been to swoop in, grab Donna and get out but with that many sabers it was a suicide mission. And then there was the complication of Donna not even being there. If he could have found the leader he may have been able to take him by surprise but all of the tigers looked the same in the bonfire's red light. He could hope…_maybe Donna will manage to escape on her own._

**Clara set the she-weasel she carried in her mouth down on a large flat stone and looked at her leader. "Novi says she will be with us momentarily." Hawthorn nodded and resumed his pacing. Clara began to examine the weasel closely, saying, "I must inspect her to confirm that she is ready." All the other tigers began to move away and mill about again. The little, rusty tiger leaned close to Donna. "Remember, this is our secret, don't tell a soul." The two winked at each other and Clara walked away. **

**Suddenly, a silver paw was at Donna's throat. Novi stared her down with glittering eyes. "You may **_**seem **_**weak and innocent but I know what you're up to. But it's too late…soon the ritual will begin." With those words the she-tiger strode away, leaving Donna undaunted. **_**You don't scare me, you over-grown house-cat.**_

**Novi leapt onto a protruding boulder that hung over the Plate. "Tonight is a night many of us never hoped to see! The end of the Spirit Weasel draws near; look at it now, weak and defenseless upon our Sacrificial Plate! Now we call upon our ancestors to banish the evil from its body and mind so we may drink of its blood and take in the knowledge that it has used for evil. We shall use it for good, won't we?" **

**She was met by growls and roars from the crowd amassed below her. She continued. "So now we may go on." She looked up to the starry sky and her voice became gravelly as she shouted. "We invoke the Goddess of Love to drive out that of Hate and that of Generosity to drive out Greed!" The other sabers began to cry out their own wishes. One voice shouted out above all others, high and desperate and Donna heard it loud and clear. "We wish friends safe travel once the weasel is gone! May their roads be safe and devoid of evil now that the demon of Fires and Violence is soon gone!"**

**Clara hollered her wish to the sky as loud as she could and she saw at once that her tube-shaped friend had heard. Now when all of the tigers were facing the heavens, was Donna's moment. She easily broke the weakened rope and tore though the others as fast as possible. She ducked under the lip of the Plate and seized her staff. She turned to run but looked back and a smile curled her lips. Donna snuck between the unsuspecting tigers and quietly climbed the boulder behind Novi.**

**She saw Clara shooting her a frantic look but she ignored it. She raised her staff and butted Novi hard in the rear. The silver tigress stumbled and fell off of the boulder. In the red firelight, Donna looked quite ghostly, her yellow belly glowing and appearing otherworldly. She raised her staff above her head and let out an unearthly shriek that curdled blood. Cackling madly she jumped backwards behind the rock so as to make it look as though she had vanished. Donna cracked a grin as screams of terror broke out among the sabers. **_**It should be a minute before they gather their wits. I just hope I didn't freak Clara out too much.**_

**The weasel fled into the night.**

Diego's eyes widened when he saw Donna become visible, seemingly out of nowhere. That scream had chilled him to the bone. Across the fire and past the saber camp he caught a glimpse of a dark shape fleeing into the night. He turned sharply to the others. "Go around and don't be seen." He leapt down into the saber camp and began to screech like the sabers around him. He rushed around in seemingly pointless circles but eventually freed himself from the mass of panicking smilodons. 

He raced after Donna as fast as he could, desperately trying to catch up. "Donna! Wait up!"

**She heard the pounding feet behind her. She dropped to all fours and ran faster than she ever thought she could. Her breath was shallow and ragged but the adrenaline in her veins kept her going. Out of the dark she heard a voice. "Donna! Wait up!" She skidded to a halt and turned around. Diego came rushing into view. He was wheezing and staggering slightly but he looked her in the eye and said. "Would have saved you…too many sabers…not enough of us. Sorry."**

_**What? They would have helped me? But they don't even know me, I barely know them. …But Clara helped you and she's on the enemy's side. **_**Tentatively, Donna crept up to him and hugged him around his neck. "It's okay. To tell you the truth I wouldn't have held it against you. After all, how could I ask you to risk your herd for a strange weasel you barely know?" He grinned crookedly and lay down, still breathing heavily. A thought crossed her mind and she voiced it. "It won't take much longer for Novi and Hawthorn to come to their senses. Once the rest of the herd catches up we had better make tracks. It would be best if we could travel through a stream for a while so the pack can't catch our scent."**

**Diego nodded and Donna leaned on her staff easily, relaxed as though she had not just escaped from a pack of blood-thirsty sabers. A good fifteen minutes passed before they heard Sid's voice. "Hey, maybe they went thish way or--- or thish way, or maybe." The darkness hid Diego's rolling eyes as he stood up. "Over here, to your left." Silence…then: "The **_**other**_** way, Sid."**

"**Oh…"**

**Donna groaned inwardly at the sloths stupidity as the others made their way over to she and the tiger. When they were all there she outlined the plan she had been forming. "My idea is that we head out towards a stream that I know to be around here. We can travel through the water so the pack can't catch our scent and then head for a cave to spend the night. I know where to find one of them to. What'd you say?" the majority of the herd agreed with her plan. She led the way with Ellie and the possums right behind her. Many and Sid held onto their tails. Diego brought up the rear as a warning system. **

**Within five minutes they all could hear the rushing of water. Donna led them through some trees and when they cleared a wide stream was visible, the moonlight reflecting off of the water. She waded in without hesitation but turned to look at the possum twins. "You two might want to ride on someone's back, this current's pretty strong." They obediently hopped on Ellie's back as she followed the she-weasel into the water. A shiver ran up her body. "Brr, it's cold! How long do we have to do this?" Donna didn't turn as she replied. "Until we get to the cave in about… and hour."**

Clara wasn't really scared but she had to admit that she had been chilled when Donna shrieked. Then she couldn't see the weasel and she could only hope that her friend would get away. She did wish however, that she and Donna had had more time to get to know each other. But oh well. The least she could do to ensure that when something like this happened again that she was not part of it was to take the weasel's advice and run.

At last the pack began to calm down and regain their sense of dignity. Tired and disappointed and still slightly scared, the sabers began to head for their dens. Novi padded past Clara and shot her a glare that clearly said: _Don't even think that I don't think you had _something_ to do with this. _Clara met her fierce look with a defiant stare saying, "I don't know how the weasel escaped, perhaps her magic was stronger than we thought. She could have used black arts to escape." Novi snorted and stalked away, her short Smilodon tail flicking to and fro with aggravation.

Clara stared after her worriedly, Novi clearly suspected her of helping Donna escape. If she got enough evidence to accuse her in public… Clara would have to be careful. Knowing Novi, she was going to be grilled on everything that had happened while she had been away and Clara had been alone with the she-weasel. The small, rusty tigress shivered, if she let slip a single thing, like admitting she had spoken to Donna by saying that she was nice or saying her name, Novi would make sure Hawthorn found out.

A vivid image of her own petite body being ripped to pieces filled her head. She began to shake violently and her leg joints gave way beneath her. A tiger that must have stayed behind came up behind her and nudged her leg. "Hey, you okay? I saw you fall, did the weasel curse you or somethin'?" She looked over her shoulder and saw a tawny gold-brown shape. With stripes on his back and circling his legs and tail he had a noticeable pelt. "Rahim!"

Clara stood up as fast as she could and sank low, just in case any tiger was around still. Rahim the Striped was the son of Hawthorn Starfall and was paid respect by all. Rahim ducked under her and lift her body up. "No tigers 'round. You know I hate to see you bow like that. A tigress with spirit like yours shouldn't have to bow to anyone." She grinned and licked his cheek. His yellow eyes were slightly concerned but the friendship in them glowed strong. She had to tell someone before the burden crushed her. Besides, Rahim was like a part of her heart, and the best friend ever…she could trust him. "I have to tell you something about tonight, but you mustn't tell another soul."

"You can trust me"

"**This way, hurry unless you want your fur to freeze to your skin." Donna ushered them towards the entrance to a cave. The first thing Diego notice was the way the place smelled. It was like long dried blood and death. Then he caught sight of the stone walls. **

_Blood spattered the cold stone walls and the place was in disrepair. She walked in a bit further and then she saw them. Her family, her big brother and little sister, her mother and father and half blind grandmother. All lying in puddles of thick weasel blood, dead._

**He looked at the she-weasel and opened his mouth. "Donna, is this---?" She waved him off and went to the back of the cave. She came back with an armload of sticks and twigs. She passed them off to Sid along with two stones. He immediately set to work on creating the fire. She looked around unhappily and began straightening a series of large rocks that were set around the cave.**

**Diego noticed her dragging something into the dark back of the cave but didn't bother following her. Instead he walked around and looked at the cave walls. He noticed chalk drawings near the floor, as though they had been made by a small creature. The images were messy, like the art of a baby. He also noticed that they became neater as he moved along. Then he came to a section of the cave hat was covered in what looked like dried blood. **

**He closed his eyes. **_The weasel knelt beside them, stroking their fur. _**This was indeed the place that Donna had lived. The saber couldn't even imagine how painful it must have been for her to return here after so long. He opened his eyes and saw something lying on the ground. He scooped it up with his paw. It was an armband. **_She glanced down at the armband that she wore just above her elbow. She had no family now. With shaking paws she gently removed it. She traveled back to the den and laid it by her brother. "I took something of yours, now you take something of mine." _

**He carried the small woven band over to his weasel friend. "Is this yours?" Donna looked down at the offered object and her face darkened. "No, it's not mine, not any more. It belongs to my brother now. I have no family; there is no reason for me to have one. Now put it back where you found it." **

"**Why should I? You could have a family again but only if you let go of the past. Why hold onto it?" Diego took a leaf out of Sid's book, remembering how he had told Manny the same thing about Ellie. Donna looked at him. "Haven't you ever loved something so much that when it was taken you couldn't believe it and you wanted it back?" Diego cast his gaze downward, thinking of his brother, Soto. Donna looked at him for a moment and when she next spoke her words were less harsh. "I hold onto what I remember because they were all I have to remember."**

**The pain that she was trying to hide barely peeked through the indifference but Diego was able to detect it. "You could have **_**us.**_**"**

"**No, I couldn't Diego. Could you just drop it for now? I'm tired and not in the mood to talk." Diego sensed the weak state of mind she was in and considered pressing the subject but thought of what a rotten day she had had, before midnight and after. Between getting weasel-napped by a pack of sabers, not knowing what they were going to do to her and returning to the place where all of her family had been killed, it must have been exhausting for her. He nodded and padded over to the small but cozy fire that now burned.**

**Donna watched him go over to the fire but stayed where she was. How she longed to be part of that special bond that the herd she traveled with shared. They were kind and gentle, yet playful and wild, not afraid to be different. **_**Oh Hailer, I don't want to let go of the memories and yet I can't help wanting to be a part of something again. I'm so tired of being alone. I wish I could join them but I can't. Will I ever let go, will I ever be **_**able**_** to? **_**The tired and hurting weasel fell asleep to the gentle murmur of the herd, with thoughts of her brother filling her head. **

Diego dragged the rabbit he had caught into the cave. Donna was still asleep, curled up and unmoving, her staff in something of a death grip. Not wanting to wake her, he dropped the rabbit off next to her sleeping form. Part of him thought to go lay in the sun just outside the cave but another , stronger part of him wanted to see the back of the cave, the part that was in mild darkness still. He glanced once more at Donna and proceeded to the back.

His eyes adjusted to the dark and he saw what he never wanted to. Five weasel skeletons lay on the ground, the bones marked by teeth as though scavengers had come and though to see if there was anything left worth eating. One of them was barely half of Donna's size while another one was shrunken, it spine bent as though by age. The others looked, well normal. The tiger looked closer and saw the real damage.

Skulls cracked, missing ribs and broken bones. This was the work of wolves and it enraged him. He wanted to know what Donna had been like before this and before she made it a key priority to hide her feelings. She didn't show fear or hurts, loss or anger. What was she like before? Would hiding her feelings really do what she wanted it to or would all the pent up emotion rip her apart from the inside. He hated to think of the agony that must have been inside her heart.

He walked back to the front of the cave and settled in the sun, still slightly upset. It was nearly noon but the frost outside had not yet melted. Diego could still see his own breath and it was nippy out but he didn't know if the pack they had encountered previously would track Donna down. He went to wake them all. First he took care of Sid and then the mammoths. Elli woke the possum boy and Manny was about to wake Donna when Elli stopped him.

"Poor thing must be exhausted, Manny. Let's let her sleep." The she-mammoth lifted the sleeping weasel gently with her trunk and set it on her back. Donna didn't even stir. They headed out, looking to follow the same stream that they had traveled through earlier. Diego cast a backward glance, muscles tense as though he expected attack. His hyped up senses could barely detect the distant roar of a pack of hungry tigers, angry and wanting back the lost.

**Thank you for reading and letting me know what you think. Until the next chapter then. So long and thanks. **


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